Best Mountain Bikes

Best-bet mountain bikes for trail riding

Reviewers say trail bikes are great all-around mountain bikes that are ideal for the average rider. They perform well on climbs and descents, and they usually have around 5 inches of travel to smooth the ride over obstacles. Trail-oriented mountain bikes come at a variety of price points, but the trail bikes that earn the best reviews average around $2,500. At this price, these bikes are designed for mountain bikers who are ready to graduate from an entry-level or budget mountain bike to something more specialized.

In this category, the Giant Trance X2 (MSRP: $2,800) tops numerous lists and earns a number of accolades from bike reviewers. This full-suspension bike boasts five inches of rear-wheel travel and is constructed with an aluminum frame, Fox 32F 120RL fork and Shimano shifters and derailleurs. The Giant Trance X2 proves its pedigree in a head-to-head test of trail bikes in the $2,500 range conducted by Mountain Bike Action. After testing each mountain bike on varied terrain, Mountain Bike Action says the Giant Trance X2 outperforms the Gary Fisher HiFi Plus, Haro Sonix Comp, Santa Cruz Heckler and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp -- on both smooth and rugged trails. Calling it the "most versatile and capable trailbike of the group," the editors of Mountain Bike Action praise the Giant Trance X2 for precise navigation over varied trails and rave that it's "good at everything." The only downside they find is uncomfortable grips, which are easily modified.

The Giant Trance X2 also earns top marks from other bicycling publications. It won an Editor's Choice award from Bicycling magazine in 2008 in the trail category and was a runner-up for the same award again in 2009. Testers for the magazine say it's a "true do-it-all trail bike" that will suit different types of riders, and Michael Frank at Bicycling says the Giant Trance X2 can handle even the roughest terrain. This popular mountain bike also earns top marks from the UK's BikeRadar.com and excellent ratings from owners at MTBR.com. Riders are overwhelmingly pleased with the Giant Trance X2, saying the Maestro suspension is top-notch and the handling is precise and stable. Some reviewers say a few components could use an upgrade, but they still like the bike overall.

At nearly $3,000, the Giant Trance X2 may not fit into everyone's budget. Although it doesn't match the rave reviews of the Trance X2, experts say the dual-suspension Giant Yukon FX (MSRP: $920) offers good trail performance for less money. Mountain Bike Action says they were "blown-away" by the performance of the Giant Yukon FX, and it ultimately wins their $800 trail-bike test. The Giant Yukon FX is heavier and offers fewer bells and whistles, but it is a well-reviewed trail option for riders on a budget.

The Trek Fuel EX 8 (MSRP: $2,640) ultimately wins the 2009 Bicycling Editor's Choice award in the trail bike category. Saying it offers "unbeatable performance," Bicycling praises the full-suspension Trek Fuel EX 8 for its versatility on a wide range of trails. This trail bike uses Trek's high-end Alpha Red Aluminum frame, and it sports a Shimano drivetrain, Bontrager wheels and Crank Brothers Candy C pedals. VeloNews calls the Trek Fuel EX 8 a great value, with good handling on descents, and BikeRadar.com describes it as "pure trail gold." The Trek Fuel EX 8 also gets rave reviews from owners on MTBR.com -- the majority of reviewers say the bike performs well on both climbs and descents. Although they like this mountain bike overall, several owners complain about the tires, saying they don't have enough grip in wet or muddy conditions. BikeRadar.com agrees that the stock tires are too slick, and recommends upgrading to Bontrager Mud X tires. Like many Trek bikes, this mountain bike is also available in a women-specific design, the Trek Fuel EX 8 WSD (MSRP: $2,640).

The similarly priced Diamondback Sortie 3 (MSRP: $2,650) is also recognized as a solid trail performer at a good price. This five-inch travel mountain bike is built with what reviewers call "trailworthy" components, including a Fox Float RL air fork, Avid Juicy 5 disc brakes and Truvativ FireX crankset. The Diamondback Sortie 3 earns a Killer Value award in Outside's 2009 buyer's guide, where editors say it easily outperforms more expensive trail bikes. At just over 30 pounds, it's not the lightest on climbs, but testers for Outside are impressed with the all-day comfort and speedy descents.

The Felt Virtue 2 (MSRP: $2,600) also gets high marks for comfort on all-day rides, even if it has added some weight over previous year's models. This bike is in the middle of Felt's Virtue line, with 130mm of rear and front travel and a double-butted aluminum frame. VeloNews and BikeRadar.com say the same thing about this mountain bike -- it's built for all-day or marathon rides. BikeRadar.com calls it an "ideal marathon machine," thanks to capable performance on climbs, but they say the relatively upright geometry limits the ride on descents. A few owners posting to MTBR.com, however, have few complaints about the Felt Virtue 2; in general, these riders think this mountain bike is a great buy.

Best all-mountain bikes for rugged terrain

All-mountain bikes are designed to handle rough and technical terrain. As a result, they are typically heavier and sturdier and have more travel (usually totaling 5 to 6 inches) than your average cross-country or trail-oriented mountain bike.

The Specialized Pitch Comp (MSRP: $2,100) is designed to be a value-priced alternative to the top-end Specialized Enduro SL (MSRP: $3,300 to $7,700) series of all-mountain bikes, and it earns numerous accolades from reviewers. Experts say it performs well on rugged terrain, thanks to an aluminum-alloy frame based on the Enduro SL, RockShox Pike 327 U-Turn fork and Avid Juicy 3 SL brakes. The Specialized Pitch Comp earns a Great Value designation in Bicycling's 2009 buyer's guide, where David L'Heureux says it can handle steep climbs as well as technical descents. Bike Magazine also includes the Specialized Pitch Comp on its list of the seven best budget bikes of 2009, where they call it a "capital-S Screamer." Mountain Bike Action also picks the Specialized Pitch Comp as one of its favorite bikes of the year and includes it in their 2009 buyer's guide. In addition, it gets positive reviews from owners, who say it's hard to beat the bike at this price point, even if they had to upgrade a few components. On a negative note, some reviewers wish the bike had a shock lockout, and Bike magazine says the Sram X.5 shifter is "somewhat suspect." Overall, though, most professional and owner-written reviews indicate that the Specialized Pitch Comp is a steal for a solid all-mountain bike.

Reviewers say the Fuji Thrill LT 2.0 (MSRP: $1,850) is another good all-mountain bike that won't break the bank. It has been redesigned for 2009, with a new downtube and dropouts. It sports 150 mm (almost 6 inches) of travel, and unlike the Specialized Pitch Comp, it has a rear shock lockout. Although Bike magazine loves the value, they worry about the Tektro Auriga Comp brakes and SR-Suntour suspension components, because they are less widely used than other components. However, in MountainBikeTales.com's detailed test of the Fuji Thrill LT 2.0, both the suspension and brakes exceed their expectations. Their testers also say it screams down descents like a downhill bike and climbs well, which may be surprising for a 35-pound bike. On a side note, MBT cautions that the Fuji Thrill LT 2.0 runs large, so be sure to get a proper sizing at a bike shop.

The Gary Fisher Roscoe series of mountain bikes lands somewhere in between all-mountain and trail bike. In fact, Gary Roscoe says the Roscoe bikes are the "best of both worlds" because they are lighter than traditional all-mountain bikes, but they have more travel (5.5 inches) and a beefier frame than your average trail bike. Needless to say, the Roscoe series attracts a lot of buzz from riders and professional reviewers in 2009. The top-of-the-line Gary Fisher Roscoe 3 (MSRP: $4,950) is most often recommended by reviewers, but it's also the most expensive. It uses Gary Fisher's G2 Geometry, a butted aluminum frame, an adjustable-travel 140 mm Fox Talas fork and Shimano XT crankset. Guy Kesteven at BikeRadar.com gives the Gary Fisher Roscoe 3 an excellent review, saying it's easy to see why this bike has been receiving so much buzz. Their test riders find it's "ready to rip" on rough terrain and technical descents, and they say the fat tires improve control even if they do put a damper on initial acceleration. The Gary Fisher Roscoe 3 also gets excellent reviews from VeloNews, Bicycling and Bike magazines.

If you're not ready to spend nearly $5,000 on a mountain bike, the Gary Fisher Roscoe 1 (MSRP: $2,970) might be a better fit. This version of the popular series gets fewer picks overall, but reviewers are still impressed. It uses the same frame and geometry as the pricier Roscoe 3, although you lose the travel adjustability and get less expensive components. Still, Outside magazine calls it one of the best mountain bikes of the year, praising the handling and comfort that beat out other bikes in its category. Mountain Bike Action also highlights the Gary Fisher Roscoe 1 in its 2009 buyer's guide, where it says the Roscoe is "the best long-travel, aggressive trailbike Fisher has ever made."

Best entry-level XC race bikes

Mountain bikes for XC racers can easily exceed $8,000. However, these bikes are far beyond the budget of most aspiring racers, and experts say you don't need a bike at this level for amateur XC racing.

If you are new to mountain racing, reviewers say the Kona Kula (MSRP: $1,300) is a good pick. Like most XC race bikes, the Kona Kula is a hardtail, so there is no rear suspension. It sports a butted aluminum frame, disc brakes and Shimano XT derailleurs. The U.K.-based Bicycler Buyer magazine pits the Kona Kula against three other comparable mountain bikes and deems it the best performer of the bunch. They say the Kula lives up to Kona's reputation for building strong and durable mountain bikes, and they praise the ride quality and confidence-inspiring downhill handling. Overall, they sum up their review by saying, "we loved this bike." VeloNews also picks the Kona Kula as one of the best entry-level race bikes, saying it offers several good components at this price point. Overall, they recommend it for beginning racers. Another benefit for beginners is that the Kona Kula comes in a wide range of seven frame sizes, so you're more likely to get a precise fit.

The Norco Nitro (MSRP: $1,400), a hardtail bike designed for racing and trail riding, is another VeloNews' pick for an entry-level XC race bike. It is built with an aluminum frame, Ritchey cockpit, Avid Juicy 3 brakes and Shimano gearing. VeloNews notes that it is a little heavier than comparable mountain bikes; it weighs in at 28 pounds, compared to 25.9 pounds for the Kona Kula. Still, VeloNews says that the Norco Nitro benefits from trickle-down technology from Norco's higher-end bikes. The Norco Nitro is harder to find in the United States than some other XC race bikes, so the best way to find one is to check Norco.com for a dealer near you.

The Giant XTC 1 (MSRP: $1,100) is another hardtail mountain bike for aspiring XC racers -- at a low price. The butted aluminum frame is combined with a Marzocchi 100 mm suspension fork with lockout, Sram X.5 shifting and Shimano disc brakes. Mountain Bike Action highlights the Giant XTC 1 in its 2009 buyer's guide, calling the bike a "steal" for new racers or trail riders. For aspiring racers on a tight budget, Giant also offers the Giant XTC 2 (MSRP: $870), which is one level down from the Giant XTC 1. The 2009 model is not covered in any professional reviews, but owners give the Giant XTC 2 above-average ratings on MTBR.com. In general, owners say the frame is great and can grow with you, so you can upgrade components in the future as your racing skills improve.